Brady Lum, the previous chief working officer of Atlanta’s Excessive Museum of Artwork, entered a not responsible plea Tuesday to a federal theft cost stemming from allegations that he misappropriated museum funds.
In February, information broke that Lum, 59, had resigned from his place in December after an inner investigation on the museum concluded that Lum was accountable for misappropirating $600,000 over a number of years. The establishment referred the matter to federal prosecutors.
On Tuesday, throughout Lum’s arraignment in federal courtroom in Atlanta, the US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Northern District of Georgia accused Lum of manipulating monetary information and authorizing illegitimate purchases for his private profit, together with high-end musical devices, non-public classes, and workshop gear.
“Whereas entrusted to run the Excessive Museum, Lum allegedly used the museum’s cash as his private slush fund and thereby betrayed considered one of Atlanta’s civic crown jewels,” US Legal professional Theodore S. Hertzberg stated in an announcement. “Our workplace will transfer with swift precision to prosecute people who abuse positions of energy and belief to complement themselves on the expense of non-profit establishments.”
In response to the indictment, Lum masked his unauthorized expenditures by submitting “altered invoices,” then used his place to “train delegated expense approval authority” after which used “accounting changes to unfold his bills throughout totally different price facilities.”
Throughout Tuesday’s listening to, Lum instructed the choose he’s presently unemployed and was ordered to hunt employment whereas on bond. Lum’s lawyer Don Samuel instructed the Atlanta Journal-Structure that Lum had nothing to say concerning the case presently.
The costs comply with an inner investigation launched by the Woodruff Arts Heart, which oversees the Excessive Museum together with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Alliance Theatre. In February, the group’s board voted to refer the matter to federal prosecutors after the probe uncovered the alleged monetary irregularities.
Woodruff Arts Heart President and CEO Hala Moddelmog beforehand instructed the Atlanta Journal-Structure that the group believes Lum acted alone and that the alleged theft wouldn’t impression museum operations. The Excessive Museum stays financially secure, she stated.
Lum served as COO from January 2019 till his December 2025 resignation. In response to the Woodruff Arts Heart’s 2024 Type 990, he earned $312,374 that fiscal yr, making him the group’s fifth-highest-paid worker.
The Excessive Museum, situated on Atlanta’s Peachtree Road, is the biggest visible arts museum within the Southeast.
A trial date has not but been scheduled.
